“Are you willing to spend and be spent; not seeking to be ministered unto, but to minister?” asks Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest. He continues, “Some saints cannot do menial work and remain saints because it’s beneath their dignity.” You’ve met that person: the “important” person; the one who wants to be the “king pin” and be noticed, honored, and made a fuss over. Yes, there are even “divas” in ministry, but perhaps it’s even a more unbecoming characteristic due to the fact that as believers, we are to be servants before we are to be in the limelight or leaders. True servants serve out of love, concern, and caring—doing so often quietly, unnoticed and behind the scenes.
As we serve special needs in our families, in our churches, and in our communities, many (if not most) have a loving attitude, not seeking attention or honor. We don’t want to have the despicable, abhorrent, and unbecoming characteristics of one who expects to be honored and pampered when it comes to what we do: serving. We realize that true ministry often leaves us spent and exhausted, not finding us sipping coffee from our car or with our feet kicked up, as we avoid the work of life and opt for comfort, waiting until the big work is done for us to show up and make a grand entrance.
Photo credit: Utmost.org
The Lord graciously encourages us to recognize our call and that the “big” work is truly behind the scenes, often menial work, and is a day in-and-out service that few see, let alone ever come to understand or ask about. If we need to set up chairs, mop floors, clean up messes, change diapers and wipe drool, in the special needs community, we realize it’s all in a days’ work. In all things and at all times, we pray that we do things even if it’s not our “job description,” and that we do so out of sincere love, concern, and caring as we seek to please our Lord. It’s seldom easy, fun, or comfortable, but it’s always right when we choose to obey Jesus.
We know that God can use any and all situations where we are most useful to His call, as we simply desire to work for Him. True ministry is work that will call us to spill out all our energy, and sometimes even our resources, as part of accomplishing His work.
As caregivers, our friendships and ministry may be very different from others around us, as we serve those with special needs. Yet true ministry will use us up for HIS glory.
When you feel “tapped out” and “spent,” take a moment to see just how He is using you in ways that are very important to the call He has given You. May His call on your life be all that you need.
Dr. Joe and Cindi Ferrini share their newest book: Love All-Ways: Embracing Marriage Together on the Special Needs Journey (order at www.cindiferrini.com). They are authors, speakers, and bloggers for several blogging sites on marriage, family and special needs. They speak nationally for FamilyLife Weekend To Remember Marriage Get-a-Ways, authored *Unexpected Journey – When Special Needs Change our Course, and have been interviewed on Focus on the Family, FamilyLife Today, Janet Parshall at “In the Market”, Chris Brooks of “Equipped” and various other radio and television venues. Connect with them at: www.cindiferrini.com and via social media at: www.facebook.com/cindi.ferrini, www.facebook.com/UnexpectedJourney/ and www.facebook.com/MyMarriageMatters/.
